Arts, Briefly

Compiled by Lawrence Van Gelder

Published: April 27, 2007

'LoveMusik' Leads Drama Desk Nominees

''LoveMusik,'' a musical suggested by the letters of Kurt Weill and Lotte Lenya that doesn't open officially until Thursday, led the way with 12 nominations when the 52nd annual Drama Desk Awards were announced yesterday by James Naughton and Beth Leavel, previous winners, at the New York Friars Club. Three other musicals -- ''Curtains,'' ''Legally Blonde'' (opening on Sunday) and ''Spring Awakening'' -- received 10 nominations each, along with the Tom Stoppard play ''The Coast of Utopia.'' ''In the Heights,'' an Off Broadway musical, got nine nominations, and six went to ''Mary Poppins.'' With Kristin Chenoweth as host, the awards will be presented on May 20 at LaGuardia Concert Hall at Lincoln Center.

Arrest Warrant Issued for Richard Gere in India

Richard Gere was a wanted man yesterday after a judge in India issued arrest warrants for him and the Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty, saying their kiss at a public function, right, ''transgressed all limits of vulgarity,'' according to news media reports cited by The Associated Press. Judge Dinesh Gupta issued the warrants in Jaipur in response to a citizen's complaint that the incident this month, when Mr. Gere planted kisses on Ms. Shetty's face at an AIDS awareness rally in New Delhi, offended local sensibilities, the Press Trust of India reported. It said that the judge, who viewed television coverage of the event, called it ''highly sexually erotic.'' Ms. Shetty, 31, was criticized by the judge for not resisting the kisses and ordered to appear in court on May 5. Her spokesman, Dale Bhagwagar, said she was upset by the news and wished that people would focus on ''AIDS awareness, and not three pecks on her cheek.'' Lawsuits against celebrities, often filed by publicity seekers, are common in conservative India. Mr. Gere, 57, whose films include ''An Officer and a Gentleman,'' ''American Gigolo'' and ''Pretty Woman,'' is a frequent visitor to the country, where he addresses health issues and the cause of Tibetan exiles.

Stars Reinforce Lineup For Diana Concert

Kanye West, Rod Stewart, Status Quo and Lily Allen, below, along with James Morrison, Natasha Bedingfield, the American rock band Orson and the British pop act the Feeling, have joined the lineup of the memorial concert on July 1 for Diana, Princess of Wales, after its organizers expressed concern that it might be eclipsed by the Live Earth extravaganza the following week at the same place, the new 90,000-seat Wembley Stadium in London, Agence France-Presse reported. Elton John and Duran Duran, the princess's favorite band, were previously announced attractions. Organizers said yesterday that the event will also include a performance by the English National Ballet and songs by Andrew Lloyd Webber, The Associated Press reported. The first round of tickets for the charity ''Concert for Diana'' sold out in 17 minutes; another 10,000 go on sale today. The event was planned by Diana's sons, Princes William and Harry, as a tribute on what would have been her 46th birthday. She died in a car crash in Paris on Aug. 31, 1997.

Australia Slams the Door On Snoop Dogg

What kind of guy is the rapper Snoop Dogg? ''He doesn't seem to be the sort of bloke we want in this country,'' Australia's Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews told Macquarie Radio in Sydney, The Associated Press reported. Mr. Andrews was explaining that a visa for Snoop Dogg, whose real name is Calvin Broadus, had been canceled because he failed to pass Australia's character test, which takes criminal convictions into account. The rapper was to have flown to Sydney this week to be a host of the MTV Australia Video Music Awards. Last month, he and Diddy canceled the British leg of their European tour after Snoop Dogg was denied entry to England. He has 28 days to appeal the Australian ruling. Donald Etra, his lawyer in Los Angeles, said he had not heard from Snoop Dogg about the cancellation. The rapper was convicted in 1990 of cocaine possession and was charged with gun possession in 1993 and pleaded guilty in 1997. He was acquitted of a murder charge in 1996 but was arrested last April at Heathrow Airport outside London in connection with a brawl.

The Wide World Of Entertainment

Hugh Grant was arrested after a photographer complained that the actor had hurled a tub of baked beans at him, The Associated Press reported. The Metropolitan Police in London do not identify suspects who have not been charged, but they said a 46-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday night on suspicion of assault and released on bail. Ian Whittaker, a photographer, told The Daily Star that Mr. Grant, above, had kicked him and shouted abuse before tossing the beans. Lawyers for Mr. Grant, whose credits include ''Four Weddings and a Funeral'' and ''Notting Hill,'' said that an incident was under investigation, the BBC reported. Jonathan Rhys Meyers, 29, whose credits include Henry VIII in the Showtime miniseries ''The Tudors,'' as well as ''Bend It Like Beckham'' and ''Match Point,'' has entered treatment for alcohol abuse, The Associated Press reported.